Nightmare
Codi asked for a oneshot of Emma having a nightmare about Snow dying. She gets up (clutching her baby blanket) and goes through to check she's ok, accidentally waking her. She realises she ran to her mommy after a nightmare.
"NO!" Emma screamed out. But there was nothing she could do, her mom was going to burn to death and she couldn't save her. Emma woke up, heart pounding in her chest and coated in sweat. Her blanket (which normally rested under her pillow) was clutched so tightly in her fist her fingernails would leave marks on her hand. Emma knew it was just a dream rationally, but she still had to check her mom was alright. She wouldn't be able to get back to sleep otherwise. The image of Snow's body being engulfed by flames was seared into her mind. She got up and quickly, but quietly, made her way down the stairs. In the dim light of the moon from their window, Emma could see her parents lying there. Her father was snoring away quite happily, with her mother lying still beside him. Too still for Emma's liking. She crept over slowly and reached a finger out to under Snow's nose just to feel her breath…what she wasn't expecting was her mother to reach up and grab her wrist. Emma jumped, a small squeak coming from her.
"Emma?" Snow asked groggily. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Emma lied. "I must have been sleep walking or something, sorry. I'll go back to bed…" But Snow didn't let go of Emma's wrist. She knew Emma hadn't been sleep walking, something was wrong. She could tell by the frightened look in her eye that had nothing to do with Snow grabbing her wrist, and her blanket was still clutched tightly in her other hand. Emma wouldn't be holding it unless something was very wrong.
"Talk to me." Snow said quietly, sitting up. Emma was hesitant. She couldn't tell her she'd ran down here all because of a nightmare. She'd look stupid.
"Really it's fine." Emma stammered. "I'm sorry I woke you. You should go back to sleep. Neal will be up soon…"
"And you're up now." Snow countered. "I'll be with Neal when he needs me, but right now you're here and you need me. Come on Emma, tell me, please." Snow asked, stroking her thumb across Emma's wrist. Emma's eyes began to water as the dream came right to the surface.
"You were dead." She said, voice filled with emotion. "I stood there and I saw you die at that stake. And I couldn't save you." Snow now understood. It had only been a couple of days since Emma had returned from the past. A faded memory from years ago was a recent tragedy to her daughter.
"Oh honey…I wasn't really dead though, remember. It just looked like it." Snow tried to soothe her. A tear escaped Emma's eye.
"But I didn't know that." Emma whimpered. "And certainly not in my dream. You were just dead, gone. And you were never coming back." Snow couldn't take it any longer. She got up from the bed and wrapped Emma into a protective embrace.
"It's ok." She whispered into Emma's ear, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "I'm right here, I'm not dead. Emma I'm never leaving you again, ok?"
"Ok." Emma whispered weakly. Snow pulled back and took Emma by the hand, leading her out of the room. "Where are we going?" Emma asked.
"I'm taking you back to your bed. You're exhausted and need sleep." Snow told her.
"Oh." Emma responded, embarrassed. "You don't need to do that, really. It's ok, I'm fine now…"
"I know I don't have to Emma but I want to. I want to make sure you're ok before I go back to sleep." Snow told her. Emma didn't protest further, if she was honest with herself she could do with the comfort.
Snow led Emma back to her room. She sorted the sheets (Emma had got them all twisted during her nightmare) and held the covers back for Emma to get in. "There." Snow said gently, taking Emma's hand. "I'm right here, and I'm alive. Emma nodded, feeling very drowsy. "Go to sleep Em." With the safety of knowing her mother was right there, Emma closed her eyes and fell into a more peaceful sleep.
Snow smiled when she heard Emma's breathing even out. She reached over and kissed Emma's forehead.
"Sleep well baby." Snow murmured. "No more nightmares. I'm here." Snow moved a stray strand of Emma's hair behind her ear. She smiled at how peaceful her daughter looked. Snow got up and quietly tiptoed back out of the room. When she got back down to her own room, Charming had woken up.
"Where did you go?" He whispered into her ear as she climbed into bed and he pulled her over.
"Emma had a nightmare about me dying. She came down here to check if I was ok. I woke up and didn't want to leave her in that state."
"Is she ok now?" Charming asked, concerned. Snow nodded into his chest.
"Tucked up in bed sound asleep." Snow said proudly. She'd gotten her daughter back to sleep. Sure, it was three decades later than she intended being able to do it, but she still got to. It never ceased to amaze both her and Charming the chances that were still open to them with Emma, and they intended to grab every single one of them.